The Opening of the Fifth Seal (Revelation 6:9-11).
‘And when he opened the fifth seal I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Oh Master (despotes), the holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on earth?” And to each one was given a white robe, and they were told that they should rest yet for a little time until their fellow-servants also, and their brothers, who would be killed even as they were, should be fulfilled.'
After Jesus spoke of the coming Messiahs, the coming wars, the coming famines, the coming plagues and earthquakes, He spoke of those who would be delivered up to tribulation and would be killed for His sake (Matthew 24:9-14; Mark 13:9-13; Luke 21:12-19). Indeed, as Luke tells us, He says this will happen first, for they will happen ‘before all these things' (Luke 21:12). And, as we know, they did happen from the very beginning.
That is why we see here, not a description of persecution following the riding of the four horsemen, but the results of previous persecution. Even before the horsemen have ridden the people of God have been attacked and persecuted, and have suffered tribulation and death right from the beginning in Acts and onwards. And this has been because they held to the word of God, and because they believed in it and fearlessly witnessed to it. In view of Revelation 19:13 we must see a double meaning in the Word of God. Not only do they suffer for the truth He brought them and their belief in God's word, they also suffer for Him Who is the Word of God.
They are described as being ‘underneath the altar'. Underneath the altar was where the ashes and remains of sacrifices and offerings went, including the drink offerings. So these martyrs are seen as sacrifices and offerings, not propitiatory, for only Christ's sacrifice was that, but offerings to God in praise and thanksgiving (Philippians 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:6 compare Romans 12:1 and see Colossians 1:24), for their deaths have brought great glory to God (compare the sufferings of Job in the book of Job, where Satan is discomforted by Job's faithfulness and God is glorified).
The idea behind it is that their deaths have been worthwhile, and pleasing to Him because of the faith they demonstrated. So being underneath the altar is a special and privileged position. Yet we must also see in their sacrifice that ‘something extra'. Like Paul they have ‘filled up that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ' (Colossians 1:24). Christ's sufferings lacked nothing in their efficacy and sufficiency for atonement and forgiveness, but in the purpose of God the suffering of His people was also to be a part of the cost of bringing men to Himself. These martyrs are a part of that purpose.
Their description as ‘souls' may not be especially significant for ‘souls' often means ‘persons' and they are depicted as speaking and receiving white clothes. On the other hand the resurrection of the dead has not yet taken place so they are clearly in that intermediate state about which the Bible tells us very little. They do not yet have their resurrection bodies. Compare here on Revelation 20:4. This does tend to confirm, along with Philippians 1:23, that that state is not one of total unconsciousness.
‘And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Oh Master --?'. We must remember this is a symbolic vision conveying an idea. It is not suggesting that martyrs are full of desires for vengeance for themselves. They are not so much concerned about revenge as about the seeming delay in the purposes of God. They are concerned about the time that has passed since their martyrdom, with the purposes of God not seeming to come to fulfilment.
They knew that Jesus had promised that they would be speedily avenged (Luke 18:8). Then why the delay? How much longer must the people of God have to wait? When is coming the judgment of which Jesus spoke? When will come the day when God calls men to account? These questions were of some concern to the early church too, as 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, and this episode assures the living that God has not forgotten them. Their cry is probably intended to parallel the cry of Abel's blood from the ground for God to act in justice (Genesis 4:10 compare Hebrews 12:24).
‘Oh Master'. The word is ‘despotes' and is used of Jesus in 2 Peter 2:1 when describing men as ‘denying the Master who bought them' and in Jude 1:4 of those who deny ‘our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ'. (It is used of God in Acts 4:24, and is sometimes used to translate ‘lord' (adonai) in the Old Testament). It describes the Master of the world, not ‘the Master' (‘teacher' - didaskolos - a different word) of believers. So there is the thought here that those on whom the vengeance is to come have denied their Master, the One Who has rights over them, the Lord of Creation. It is a more austere word for Master than didaskolos.
‘The holy and true'. It is Jesus Christ Who has been called the holy and true in Revelation 3:7, which confirms He is in mind here. As holy He would not stand by when injustice was done. As true He would not forget His servants.
‘Do you not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?'. When Abel's blood cried from the ground for judgment it came almost immediately. Why then does the Master of the world now delay? The vengeance they speak of is God's vengeance not theirs, a constant theme in the Old Testament descriptions of the last days. Compare also Paul who speaks of, ‘the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, in flaming fire rendering vengeance to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus' (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).
The fact that it is primarily God's vengeance that is in mind and not theirs is shown by the fact that ‘judge' comes first. These people are seeking for the great day of judgment to come so that God's righteous will might be done. (Compare Psalms 7:6-10). They are concerned for justice, not personal vengeance. Like many on earth at the time they cannot understand why there has been such a long delay and nothing has happened. The language also has in mind Deuteronomy 32:43 where it is promised that He will avenge the blood of His servants and will render vengeance on His adversaries.
‘Those who dwell on the earth' appears regularly in Revelation of those who are not on the side of God (Revelation 3:10; Revelation 11:10; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 13:12; Revelation 13:14; Revelation 14:6; Revelation 17:8). It is similar to the use of ‘the world' in the Gospels, they dwell in the world, they do not dwell in the Kingdom. They are not ‘strangers and pilgrims on the earth' (Hebrews 11:13) looking for what is to come, but permanent residents with all their hopes pinned on the world.
‘And a white robe was given to each one'. The white robe is a symbol of heavenly beings (Matthew 28:3; Mark 16:5; John 20:12; Acts 1:10; Revelation 4:4; Revelation 15:6; Revelation 19:14). Thus this gift is a promise to them that ‘soon' they will become ‘those who dwell in Heaven' with the angels of God. This is why white robes were promised to overcomers (Revelation 3:4-5; Revelation 3:18).
‘And it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little while until their fellow-servants also and their brothers who would be killed even as they were, should be fulfilled'. God has not overlooked His promises, but there is yet more to be endured, more to be accomplished. Thus they must enjoy their rest and wait patiently, for the resurrection and judgment will come in God's good time.
‘A little while' warns that God's purposes have not yet reached the ultimate, further persecution is still to come and will come soon, more martyrs will be offered up until their number is complete. But when God says ‘a little while' it can have large perspectives. A few thousand years is nothing to Him.
For this ‘rest' compare Daniel 12:13 - ‘go your way until the end be, for you will rest and stand in your lot at the end of the days'. Paul also in 2 Thessalonians 1:7 connects the Christian's coming ‘rest' with the expectation of vengeance.
‘Until --'. This is hugely significant. It is what this whole passage has been leading up to. It is a warning to the people of God. It stresses the persecution yet to come. Many more will yet be called on to die for the name of Christ. But when it comes they must look on it as a fulfilment, and recognise it is within the purposes of God. It is not something to be feared but to be triumphed in. And God has told them beforehand that it will happen. Let them then be ready!
More details of the persecution to come will be given shortly. The truth is that the next two or three centuries would see persecution of the most awful kind, when periods of calm for the church would be followed by periods of intense persecution and tribulation, but it was to this book could they look for strength and courage in those times. Furthermore such persecution has been the lot of God's people through the ages. We who live in countries where it rarely happens should not overlook the fact that in some countries it is a continual and dreadful reality.
‘Should be fulfilled' or possibly, ‘should be filled up' (the textual authorities are divided). There may be here the idea that there is a kind of roll of martyrs which has to be completed (similar to the book of life). It reminds us that the number of martyrs is not yet complete, and we too should be ready to suffer for Christ. God's purposes are accomplished through suffering. Job did not understand it, we may not understand it, but as we remember the sufferings of Christ we know it is so. When churches through the ages have suffered persecution they could look to these words for comfort and encouragement. God even controls the number of martyrs.
Everything described above did occur in the first century AD. They were truly things that would ‘shortly come about', and some of the coming dreadful persecution being described was only years away. But they have continued on through following centuries, for in God's longsuffering He has given men time to respond to Him (2 Peter 3:9), and man's own sinful nature makes them inevitable. That the final days of this age will also see their continuation is thus to be expected, for these things will continue to the end, ‘even to the end will be war, desolations are determined' (Daniel 9:26).